THERE'S a convenient new word that has entered the fashion lexicon of late and that's trans seasonal. It's a handy expression to describe those moments occurring throughout the year - times obviously not quite summer or winter but somewhere in between. In Ireland, that means the majority of months because our weather usually can't be relied upon to give much assistance defining the seasons.
The problem is that many designers and clothing manufacturers still plan in twice yearly cycles. Collections continue to be produced for spring/summer and autumn/ winter - the former extremely hot and the latter cold. But recent climatic changes together with the advent of central heating/ air conditioning make nonsense of such absolute time blocks. It's possible to be too hot in December and freezing in August, even while wearing what are believed to be appropriate clothes.
What most women need are pieces capable of comfortably crossing from one period to the next; the kind of items that can be bought in February and still find a place in the wardrobe six months later. Hence the advent of trans seasonal dressing. It makes sense because it recognises that fashion today requires flexibility. Smart members of the industry are now taking note and producing more than just two collections annually. Instead, they're breaking the year down into smaller periods of two or three months each; chain store Oasis, for example, has six separate collections a year.
Another retail group which has recently recognised the changing nature of the market is Brown Thomas. Last autumn, the department store introduced its own label collection called Studio Brown Thomas, designed to offer Irish customers a relatively limited number of garments that would easily span several seasons. There's nothing particularly new about department stores creating in house collections; it's a common phenomenon worldwide and one that has already taken place at Brown Thomas's Canadian sister group, Holt Renfrew.
In fact, while some items are exclusive to Ireland, a number of garments from the Studio line are shared with Holt Renfrew. Similarly, some of the clothes are made here; others across the Atlantic. But it would be impossible to guess which came from where because a consistency of approach runs throughout the Studio range with no one piece standing out from the rest. The philosophy underlying the collection is that all women want basic items that are both adaptable and relatively inexpensive. Studio Brown Thomas isn't cuttingedge fashion but nor is it hopelessly stuck in a rut. The clothes take cognisance of current trends without being enslaved by them.
So in the range which is now arriving at Brown Thomas stores, there are plenty of shift dresses and lots of satin - two of the most popular trends of the past year - but they aren't the whole story. Thanks to the versatility of the collection, different elements can be mixed both together and with clothes from outside Studio. There are attractive lightweight wool five button jackets in pistachio green, for example, which would work equally well with black wool trousers or a pale pink satin shift dress. All the jackets have the option of both skirts usually just to or on the knee and trousers. The last of these is probably the most persistent part of the Studio Brown Thomas line, in recognition of the increased importance trousers now play for all women.
Sensibly, none of the fabrics used is terribly heavy; there's lots of lighter wools, some viscose and linen for shirts. Colours too are kept within a restricted palette. Inevitably, black and white are both major stories, together with navy but alongside these can be found pastel pink and blue, pistachio and a delightful banana yellow used for belted jackets and trousers. Prints hardly feature at all except for some pretty long skirts slit both front and back.
Organised and ordered by Brown Thomas's Deirdre Kelly, the Studio range finds a natural niche alongside the store's more high profile names. Keeping prices down is important for a collection like this; customers won't pay a lot of money for what is fashion's equivalent of an own label brand. But they'll be happy to buy easy pieces that are undemanding to wear especially when these deserve to be designated trans seasonal.
. All clothes from the Studio Brown Thomas range available at Brown Thomas Dublin; Cashs, Cork; Todds Limerick; Moons, Galway.